by their singular customs, were preachers and prophets to the rest of the world. It is true that the modern Jews and the ignorant ones of old, perceive nothing more than the outside of their institutions: but it must have occurred to every thinking person among them, that mere ceremonies could not have formed acceptable services to that God who is a Spirit. There seems nothing in these minute institutions, considered in themselves, that appears worthy of the appointment of that wise and holy God whom the Jews knew, while the rest of the world lay in darkness; and upon any other hypothesis it would be difficult, if not impossible to account for the particular exactness required in these services, or for Moses' being so strictly charged to make all things according to the pattern exhibited on the mount. We might expect among a people designed by God for such purposes, very precise injunctions about the sacrifice; and accordingly the Jewish ritual is full of them-in every part proclaiming without shedding of blood there is no remission. In the first institution of the system, at their coming out of Egypt, a lamb was to be sacrificed by every family, and the blood sprinkled the upon upper lintels and door posts, that they might be saved from the destroying angel; and when the institution was complete, the command appeared to be that every sin was to be expiated by blood, every defilement to be cleansed by blood, every sin of ignorance was to be atoned for by blood-God forgives no sin without blood. Hence, did he thus manifestly reveal the intended way of salvation by blood, The manner also of the sacrifice among the Jews unfolded a great deal more of what was to come, than the same rite among the heathen, as we should indeed expect. The animal was not to be a wild beast, or unclean one-but tame, eatable, sociable, valuable, male, and in the prime of life. They were to be offered voluntarily by the persons, to signify, that in order to find acceptance through the great atonement, we must depend cordially and sincerely upon it. He who offered the sacrifice was to lay his hands on it, confessing his sins-which imported his belief, that his sins were to be forgiven by his transferring them to another. After the death of the animal, the blood was sprinkled round about the altar, and towards the mercy-seat. This marked the virtue of the atonement to satisfy God and open the way to his mercy. The washing of the sacrifice was to denote Christ's puritythe burning of it, his sufferings-the holy fire consuming it, denoted the wrath of God descending upon him. In the various ceremonial defilements contracted by touching unclean animals, or dead bodies, or by leprosy, or certain other diseases, the rites prescribed denoted purification by blood. Now certainly there is no obvious connection between purification and blood: if water had been used, it might have been said that its natural efficacy in cleansing was adopted, as an emblem of that -- power which cleanses the soul; but why bloodshedding should be the emblem of cleansing power, is unaccountable on any hypothesis but this that the death of some great propitiation was to be the means of purifying the soul from guilt and sin. The carnal Jews saw but little of the meaning of these things, as might be expected, for in all ages the bulk of men seldom look beyond the outside of things. God therefore, in wonderful wisdom, makes use of their blindness to speak still more plainly of the thing intended. While they depended on their outward observances he tells them Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon α thousand hills; I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell thee, for the world is mine and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?* This should have naturally led them to consider that if God speaks so slightingly of the efficacy of merely literal sacrifices, while yet they were so strictly enjoined, it must have been their representing power and meaning that constituted their use. Again, an unknown person is introduced in the fortieth psalm saying, Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; burntoffering and sin-offering hast thou not required, then said I, Lo, I come; in the volume of the Book it is written of me. While the law and the psalms were thus gradually and harmoniqusly opening the way, and preparing the minds Ps. 1, 10-13. of men for the great blood-shedding, the Prophets' writings from age to age kept pace with them in unfolding more and more of the designs of God. Isaiah at last, rapt in future times, sees him as already come; and speaks of one who hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; who was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities; our iniquities; brought as a Lamb to the slaughter; for the transgression of my people was he stricken. Here is remission by the shedding of blood! After him Daniel says After three-score and two weeks, Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself.* V. More plain notices than these were scarcely necessary; and very few more were given till the desire of all nations came; who after fulfilling every prophecy, one after another by his birth, life, and miracles, finished the great work for which preparation had been making all along from the beginning of the world, by the sacrifice of himself on the cross, where he shed his blood for us and for many, for the remission of sins. The Jewish ritual was now no more necessary, it had done its work, and was therefore abolished; and it is now more than one thousand seven hundred years since temple and sacrifices have ceased. The general way of salvation preparing for all mankind, was published to all the world. Thus the true way of pardon was opened, when neither God's mercy, nor our repentance, nor our good works could avail. Now God's mercy * Dan. ix, 26. can be exercised without detriment to his truth and holiness. He can be gracious and kind to sinful man, yet he can be true, yet he can be holy. Sin meets a dreadful punishment; yet sinners are saved. God can be merciful to us; yet his truth and holiness appear awfully displayed in the agonies of his Son, for the expiating of our sins. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,-Let us draw near with a truc heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.* If God, with such care, such forethought, such preparation, has been providing an atonement for you, it cannot be that he should disappoint hopes humbly placed on that atonement; and we are authorized to say, that if any man in the world will come for salvation from his sin in this way, he shall find it for the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.† On the other hand, I leave it to yourselves to consider whether if after all that God has been doing, not for himself, but for you; and Christ, not for himself, but for you; you still do not make it your business to use that atonement for the purposes for which God has designed it, by obtaining the pardon of your sins, and being delivered from this present world, is it likely that God will bear with such neglect; or listen to any other foolish and pretended way of recommending yourselves to his favor? If you had never heard of all that he has been doing for you, the case |